“Flash” Friendship: The New Way To Build Relationships For Chinese Youth

If we are to believe all that is written about China and Chinese youth then we assume them to be a lost and lonely generation, at the mercy of their own increasing consumer desires and societal pressure. If this is the case, the ways Chinese youth choose to form relationship can’t be assumed to conform to our preconceived notions of social interaction. The “flash play” phenomenon is testament to this.

“Flash play” (闪玩, quick fun/play) is described by our friends over at CIC research as “a new term for offline events organized by netizens online.”

Activities can range from KTV meet ups to a simple shopping trip, but the roots of flash play seem to lie in travel. In previous travel research we have noticed this phenemenon of seeking travel partners online but it is through social networking sites such as douban where the concept of flash play has begun.

One event of the Douban “flash play group” has received interest from over3000 people, with 1700 “flash friends” planning to take part. The group’s ethos being: “perhaps all we need is to switch cities and sip coffee..”.

In analysing the reasoning behind the burgeoning popularity of flash play and flash friends, CCTV have found that of their research sample:

43 percent said that they wanted to flee a familiar environment to seek something new with strangers in strange cities and 45.0 percent said it is easier for them to feel at ease in front of strangers than in front of acquaintances.

This concept of feeling solace in the company of strangers isn’t a revolutionary idea but now it seems that the active pursuit of this feeling could be cause for concern, even for those whom take part in ‘flash’ actvities.

“‘Flash play’ is a bit like drinking. It’s comfortable when you are drinking, but it’s still painful when you recover from the drunkenness”

What’s apparent is that although these “flash” are activities increasing in their frequency, young people still accept their limitations. While some may revel in the transient nature of a weekend trip with ‘flash friends’, this trend remains only an alternative means for people to interact.

“Flash friends” are yet to replace “real friends” but if and when they do, enoVate will let you know…